


The Destruction of Innocence

by charli3x



Category: Stand By Me (1986)
Genre: Angst, Crimes & Criminals, Drama, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, First Love, First Time, Friendship/Love, Gangs, Good Girl/Bad Guy, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Major Original Character(s), Moving On, Romance, Sexual Content, Spoiler Alert - Freeform, Underage Drinking, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2015-09-21
Packaged: 2018-04-22 20:30:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4849490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charli3x/pseuds/charli3x
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seeking a fresh start, Lydia and her mother move to Castle Rock, Oregon. With her mother preoccupied with her new boyfriend, Lydia's taken to finding friends in a group of local hoodlums...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Destruction of Innocence

**Author's Note:**

> I want to give a big thanks to my good friend Lou who stayed up for hours when I talked about all the ideas I had for this story - and also thank him for finally helping me decide on this version. There are four different versions of this story, and this one we believe is the best. x charlie

The thing about growing up - you never realize that it's happened until you take a step back. One moment I was ten years old and trying to make my last three years count. The next moment I was seventeen years old and desperately trying to picture what my eighteenth birthday would have in store for me. I miss being young, when you didn't care about love or boys or anything.There was nothing - just peace. Suddenly everything changes and you're thinking about sex and parties. I was an innocent when I met him - he destroyed me while building me up almost in the same instant. I'm not sure whether to hate him or love him. I suppose love and hate go hand and hang though. Love can turn to hatred, and hatred can turn to love. 

* * *

It was the beginning of a new era, the summer of 1960 and things were just starting to change before everyone’s eyes. The world was revolving around us and still it felt like hardly a day had gone by since 1955. In the short span of two weeks, my mother and I left our quaint farmhouse in Idaho for the Castle Rock, Oregon.

She’d grown up there, and felt it would be the perfect place for a fresh start. I had no objections. The farmhouse had become more of a nightmare. When her and my father first bought the place, it symbolized all their hopes and dreams. After her miscarriage and my father’s departure, it became nothing more than a living nightmare. Leaving it never felt so bittersweet.

The morning we drove into the Castle Rock it was clear that my mother was embracing her fresh start as much as she could. Castle Rock was a lot nicer than I had originally presumed it to be. The sun was shining, something rare for Oregon. My mom said it was perfect, we were meant for this. I went along with it as I didn’t want to start anything. There was a moment of silence between the two of us.

She’d arranged for us to stay with her sister while she looked for a new house. I knew however that she was waiting to see if things worked out. I was merely caught in the crossfire.

Being caught in the crossfire was something I was so used to. The year following my parents separation I was caught in an intense custody-battle. For a moment my mother almost lost. I’d begged, I cried to be with her. Finally all the pity paid off and the Judge ruled my mother the suitable guardian. It had been seven months since I last spoke to my father. I’d written to him last week, telling him of our move to Castle Rock and even being gracious enough to give out our new address.

I wanted to have a relationship my father, but I’m not sure he’s ever forgiven me for choosing my mother over him. I’m not sure I ever forgave him for cheating. Since then my mother’s did her best to assure that she was the only person I needed in life. I believed her, at least I did up until the move to Castle Rock. It was like moving to an entirely different world. Idaho never seemed so boring. Everything was new and exciting, still foreign and just waiting to be explored.

“This is it Lydia! This is what I’ve been waiting for. Things are really going to turn out for us.”

I smiled over at her. That was the last moment I ever believed she would be all that I needed.

We greeted my Aunt at the Blue Point Diner, a charming abode that was known as Castle Rock’s best food joint. She talked about how excited she was to have her sister back and how it would be amazing to finally really talk with her niece.

My mother left Castle Rock at the age of seventeen with my dad. He was a teacher at the high school and she’d been in his class, since then this was the first time she’d seen or even spoken to her family. I think it was a pride thing, having to speak to her sister for the first time since leaving was a major pride thing for her.

Family had warned her that he was no good, she didn’t listen. He cheated on her just shortly after my birth, and it took my mother a whole sixteen years to finally kick him out. He was an asshole but still I felt the need to have a relationship with him.

“So, I was thinking that we would go take Lydia on a tour of the town, you know, given that she’s never been to Castle Rock before.”

I agreed wordlessly with a soft nod. I was focused on others, listening to the conversation around me.

The bell chimed but I didn’t turn. At the time I didn’t know the person who’d walked through the doors, but I soon would. Betty whistled beside me, nodding her head to the people who’d just come in. I turned to face them, a broad blonde boy with his shirt rolled up to display muscle, and the other one a shorter boy with brown hair and a strange eye.

“That’s Pop Merrill’s nephew. He’s a piece of shit just like his father, remember him? He’s an alcoholic now, goes drinking with the father of those low-life Chambers kids.” Lindsey explained.

I couldn’t take my eyes off of either of them. Their named were Ace Merrill and Eyeball Chambers. In ten minutes my Aunt Betty managed to explain their life stories as a whole. Ace would carry out his father’s legacy and end up jail and Eyeball, having already dropped out, would become a worthless alcoholic like his father. She’d even came up with a story for his siblings as well.

Christopher would be yet another repeat - alcoholic, one of their brothers was already in jail, and their youngest sister would be a pregnant drop-out. I said nothing, I didn’t know them. I knew however that the town thought of them as scum. We spent the rest of the evening marveling at the sights, places my mother grew up and hung out.

It was half-past 9 when we finally arrived at the place I would call home. The bedroom I got was a small closet like space. I made do, packing away what little I’d carried from the farmhouse before getting ready for bed. I was tired, even as I laid down my eyelids felt heavy.

The house was quiet when all the lights went out, deathly quiet. At the farmhouse, there was the occasional shuffle in the hen house or the dogs would begin to snore. With the dogs gone and the hens far away, there was nothing but silence. It took me over three hours to fall asleep, and when I finally did I only slept four.

* * *

 

I woke to my mother knocking on the door. She held a letter in one hand, a small box with the other. I sat up and took the boxes from her, half expecting her to leave. Only she stayed in the room with her arms crossed. Upon looking at the sender's name I could feel her discomfort. It was from my father.

I opened the letter first, skimming through it on how he was interested in me growing up in the place he lived before asking brief questions as to how I was doing. It was the first letter he’d sent him in seven months. I set it aside, hands shaking as I opened the box. Inside was a letterman jacket. I pulled it out curious. I almost scoffed, I wanted to, but I was too shocked initially to even mutter a single word.

With my last name across the back, it’s colors were red and white.

I got a letterman jacket my first night in Castle Rock - while it may not arrive your first night hopefully it be during your first week. Love you always, Dad.

“What’s he saying?” Mom asked.

I handed her the letter as I looked at the jacket. Attached was a picture of him and my mother leaned against a car. He had his arm around her and was dressed in his best while mom wore a cheerleaders uniform. I didn’t know whether to be happy or revolted. A part of me craved a relationship with my father, the other was filled with so much anger and hatred I wanted to puke.

He wanted to be my father now - for the time he spent ignoring me when I was younger. I don’t think my mom or my dad really wanted to be parents or have a kid. My mother had become the talk of the town, dating her teacher and becoming pregnant with his child right out of high school. I was a bi-product of abject teenage lust and perversion.

I wanted to puke at the entire situation. There were countless nights I laid awake wondering how my father had decided to pick a teacher of all people to have a kid with. I looked just like him - brunette hair with hazel rimmed green eyes. I should look like my mother, but the only trait I’d seemingly gotten from her was size. I was short, but an inch taller than her.

“Well, it’s your choice Lydia. If I were though, I’d tell his sorry as to hit the road.”

I laughed as she shut the door.

It wasn’t until 10 AM that I finally got out to Castle Rock. I’d heard that the Blue Point was hiring for waitresses. I figured I would try my luck even though I doubted anyone would take their chance on a clueless girl.

Like the night before, Ace and Eyeball sat in a booth. I eyed them carefully, looking away when Ace turned in my direction. He was daunting and it was no secret that he was also dangerous. It hadn’t taken long for me to figure that out. I sat down in one of the stools and began filling out the application, unbeknownst to Ace and Eyeball.

Ace nearly threw himself down into the stool next to me while Eyeball took the other side. I looked between the two of them and down the rows of empty seats.

“Can I help you?” I asked cautiously, not looking at either of them.

“I’ve lived in Castle Rock my entire life and I ain’t never seen your face around here before.”  Ace replied.

I paused, clutching the pen in one hand as I turned and forced a smile.

“Because I’m new, simple as that. Can you leave me alone?”

It wasn’t a question as it was more of a statement. Eyeball laughed lightly, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

“Better start runnin’ Eyeball, this girl's tuff.”

I sighed in annoyance, realizing I wasn’t about to get rid of them so easily. The few people who loomed in the diner had turned their attention towards us, eying the three of us. I tried to hear the low whispers, to try and see what they were talking about. The only thing I could hear were Ace and Eyeball beside me.

“What’s your name?” Eyeball asked.   
“If I tell you my name will you leave me alone?” I asked annoyed.   
“Maybe.” Eyeball shrugged his shoulders.   
“It’s Lydia.”  I said after a moment.

Ace stood up and Eyeball followed, but not before leaning down low next to my ear.

“We’ll be seeing you Lydia.”

**  
**


End file.
